Fibromyalgia and
Thyroid Disease

Fibromyalgia and thyroid problems often go together. Learn how to interpret test results and get help from your doctor.

Ask your doctor for a TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) test. Many labs will consider your TSH level normal if it comes back between .5 and 5, though they have different scales of normal. Most people are at their optimum with TSH between 1 and 2. If your test comes back at a 3 or 4, most doctors will tell you that your test results are normal.

Do not take this for an answer. You can either educate yourself or share with your physician the book called Thyroid Power: Ten Steps to Total Health. This book is excellent for getting your thyroid hormones at optimal levels through medication.

Or you can find another doctor. Keep reading for a source to find a good doctor for fibromyalgia and thyroid problems. My own experience with fibromyalgia and thyroid medication began about a year and a half after my first child was born. I was getting a check-up just to see if I was healthy enough to get pregnant again when the doctor noticed my dry legs. I've never worn lotion and hadn't really noticed them to tell you the truth (Here's an example of not being aware enough of myself and what's going on with me!).

She checked my thyroid and ended up putting me on a low dose of synthetic thyroid medication. I really felt a lot better, for the first week or two. A couple months later, we retested and upped my dose again. A year later, another increase. I was still feeling tired and tried to talk my doctor into prescribing Armour Thyroid medication (something my chiropractor had recommended). She didn't want to do it (you'll find this sentiment in a lot of doctors and pharmacists) because "it is not as exacting in the amount administered in each dose as synthetic thyroid medications", she claimed.

I spent the next few years being pretty tired. I decided to try a doctor I had heard about at a wellness center. He immediately put me on Armour Thyroid and my hands warmed up the first day! (I had been freezing for almost a year.) I was so thrilled. This doctor also tested my anti-thyroid antibodies (which means my body is attacking my thyroid and is called Hashimoto's Thyroid Disease) and they were higher than he'd ever seen, like 40,000.

Now, we've been keeping my TSH level below 1 (because of the high anti-thyroid antibodies) instead of around 4 as it was before with other doctors and I'm doing quite well. A lower TSH level is necessary with high anti-thyroid antibodies, which you will learn in the book Thyroid Power: Ten Steps to Total Health. The knowledge and experience in this book is really incredible. I highly recommend it.

Finding a Doctor for your Fibromyalgia and Thyroid Issues

A doctor may also decide to place you on two thyroid medications at once, according to your Free T3 and Free T4 test results. Armour thyroid medication has T3 and T4, which is often why it's more effective. Read Mary Shomon's article for more information about synthetic vs. natural thyroid medication—and why your doctor may be mistakenly programmed against this natural medication for fibromyalgia and thyroid issues. She also has tips on how to work with your doctor to get the natural treatments you feel are best for you! To find a doctor who will prescribe Armour thyroid or another natural thyroid medication, go to Top Thyroid Doctors . 

Starting thyroid medication may cause you to lose your natural ability to create thyroid hormone. You can also support your thyroid through good eating habits. Click on the Nutrition tab at the top left of this page and check out the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue page linked below.

Addressing any thyroid problems you may have can help your energy, weight, and depression. 

Sign up for The Fibro Hope Messenger for help on your journey to recover from fibromyalgia and thyroid disease.

Check out the Fatigue and Toxins Page

Visit Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Page for more info about fibromyalgia and thyroid help. 

Go to FibromyalgiaHope.com Home Page

Health Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. The statements and products are not intended to diagnose, cure, prevent or treat any diseases. The information here is not provided by medical professionals and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your physician before beginning any course of treatment.